Child Exposer of Domestic Violence

Rachel Lynn

CJS/231

10/05/2015
Gary Howard Many parents seemed to have forgotten the impact that domestic violence has on a

child. A big impact is that of being exposed to domestic violence at an early age, also the effect

that domestic observation has on an individual and his character. Character flaws can impact

a child into his adolescent years and also affect his decision making skills in adult years. I have

seen the result of a child who has been a part of a domestic violence family and home. The mind

frame which an adolescent is permanently damaged with is not a healthy one. The learned

behavior that a male or female carry on becomes an unhealthy cycle.

It is too often that adults don’t realize that the major victim to domestic violence is the

innocent child who lives the domestic violence environment. For example, young preschool

children witnessing domestic violence has a negative effect on the development of preschool.

There is a discrepancy between exposed and non-exposed children in cognitive ability as well as

externalizing and internalizing behavior problems. When a child witnesses this violence, their

trust is broken and they often show symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. There is a chance

for children to show resilience in the face of witnessing this violence. There are numerous

physical and emotional effects domestic violence may bring to a child. Children living in a home

where domestic violence is present are linked to many different emotional problems.

The content of the video on “Child exposure to Domestic Violence” was a personal

crime. First we need to understand the definition of what a personal crime is. A

personal crime is often characterized as a violent crime that results in physical, emotional, or

psychological